Coolant leak and Glamor shots
01-30-2019, 09:12 PM
#1
Coolant leak and Glamor shots
Hello all, I took a couple of glamor shots this afternoon. I'm liking how this is coming together.
But along the way, I was pushing it quite hard and when I stopped I had steam coming from the engine bay. I let it cool down a bit and checked the levels and it was showing full. So I drove it home slowly and took the engine cover off. It looks to me like the coolant cap in the engine bay was letting coolant pass. It did seem loose, but not tight either. So I put it on tight and topped off the coolant as it was showing just below "min" level. Below the glamor shots, I've put some pictures from the engine bay. Is it possible that this cap is bad, or was it lose?
Pictures in post below
But along the way, I was pushing it quite hard and when I stopped I had steam coming from the engine bay. I let it cool down a bit and checked the levels and it was showing full. So I drove it home slowly and took the engine cover off. It looks to me like the coolant cap in the engine bay was letting coolant pass. It did seem loose, but not tight either. So I put it on tight and topped off the coolant as it was showing just below "min" level. Below the glamor shots, I've put some pictures from the engine bay. Is it possible that this cap is bad, or was it lose?
Pictures in post below
Last edited by Surfndav; 01-30-2019 at 09:27 PM. Reason: was not done with post
01-30-2019, 09:27 PM
#2
Hello all, I took a couple of glamor shots this afternoon. I'm liking how this is coming together.
But along the way, I was pushing it quite hard and when I stopped I had steam coming from the engine bay. I let it cool down a bit and checked the levels and it was showing full. So I drove it home slowly and took the engine cover off. It looks to me like the coolant cap in the engine bay was letting coolant pass. It did seem loose, but not tight either. So I put it on tight and topped off the coolant as it was showing just below "min" level. Below the glamor shots, I've put some pictures from the engine bay. Is it possible that this cap is bad, or was it lose?
But along the way, I was pushing it quite hard and when I stopped I had steam coming from the engine bay. I let it cool down a bit and checked the levels and it was showing full. So I drove it home slowly and took the engine cover off. It looks to me like the coolant cap in the engine bay was letting coolant pass. It did seem loose, but not tight either. So I put it on tight and topped off the coolant as it was showing just below "min" level. Below the glamor shots, I've put some pictures from the engine bay. Is it possible that this cap is bad, or was it lose?
01-31-2019, 01:30 AM
#4
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Might be a good idea to also change the o-ring on the trunk cap, they are also known to leak with time.
01-31-2019, 07:31 AM
#5
01-31-2019, 08:41 AM
#6
Entirely possible that a new cap will fix it. But monitor this closely and keep an eye on your temperature.
Excess pressure can be a sign of a number of things, including a stuck thermostat or clogged radiator.
Any signs of oil mixed in the coolant or any exhaust fumes from the coolant reservoir?
Excess pressure can be a sign of a number of things, including a stuck thermostat or clogged radiator.
Any signs of oil mixed in the coolant or any exhaust fumes from the coolant reservoir?
01-31-2019, 10:05 AM
#7
Rennlist Member
It is certainly worth trying the new cap. They have been through a number of updates over time. I replaced mine a few years ago and the new part, at that time, ended in .04. Zero issues for me since then.
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01-31-2019, 10:11 AM
#8
Entirely possible that a new cap will fix it. But monitor this closely and keep an eye on your temperature.
Excess pressure can be a sign of a number of things, including a stuck thermostat or clogged radiator.
Any signs of oil mixed in the coolant or any exhaust fumes from the coolant reservoir?
Excess pressure can be a sign of a number of things, including a stuck thermostat or clogged radiator.
Any signs of oil mixed in the coolant or any exhaust fumes from the coolant reservoir?
01-31-2019, 10:16 PM
#9
Always a good idea to have the latest version of the coolant cap. You should check with the dealer or wherever you buy the new cap to see what the latest revision number is, and buy that cap.
01-31-2019, 10:57 PM
#10
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Entirely possible that a new cap will fix it. But monitor this closely and keep an eye on your temperature.
Excess pressure can be a sign of a number of things, including a stuck thermostat or clogged radiator.
Any signs of oil mixed in the coolant or any exhaust fumes from the coolant reservoir?
Excess pressure can be a sign of a number of things, including a stuck thermostat or clogged radiator.
Any signs of oil mixed in the coolant or any exhaust fumes from the coolant reservoir?
The caps and water pump are a known issue, worth monitoring and changing as needed.
01-31-2019, 11:25 PM
#11
I agree that it’s worth monitoring but I can also comment that my coolant cap in the trunk started seeping when my Spyder was 3 years old. It was never enough to cause alight to come on but it did seep. I changed the O Ring about 4 years ago and it stopped seeping. I expect a new o-ring will be needed again soon. For reference my Spyder has 17k miles now, coolant was flushed two years ago and it tested perfectly so it wasn’t necessary.
The caps and water pump are a known issue, worth monitoring and changing as needed.
So last night I got under the hood, so to speak and found the expansion cap loose and evidence of leakage from that area. So I tightened it up. This afternoon I did the same drive in the most spirited manner to date. This time at the turnaround point, I had no steam, no leaks or dripping.
So I think that is it!! I will be changing out the old fill cap and expansion tank cap right away.
Thanks for all the replies and help.
Now, what about those glamor shots!!
Last edited by Surfndav; 02-01-2019 at 07:41 AM.
01-31-2019, 11:30 PM
#12
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Need more glamour shots 
01-31-2019, 11:54 PM
#13
02-01-2019, 12:32 AM
#14
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The upgrades are subtle and a definite improvement!
02-01-2019, 08:14 AM
#15
Thanks, I'm inspired by the Cayman R styling. I took my wife to a Porsche dealership a few months ago to test drive an R, I loved it, she not so much. But little by little I'm making it an R.....I know it will never be an R, but I can dream. Subtle styling is the goal, I'll give a rundown of the things I've done to the car.
Clear marker lights*
All weather floormats.*
Tires, Michelin PS2's
Exhaust, BillyBoat
New front spoilers, painted body color (removed and reinstalled my me, painted by my paint guy)
Window tint side windows, Sunscreen for the rear window.
Porsche Cayman R decal's*
Red "S" emblem rear deck lid*
Removed and painted side vents, black (removed and reinstalled my me, painted by my paint guy)
Headlight ring decals*
Air filter BMC F1*
Oil change, did it myself, it was messy.*
* Things I did myself
It seems like that list should be longer, but that's all I can think of for now. I'm waiting for my paint touch up guy to find more time for me and remove the front licens plate holder and repair the holes that will be there. I am debating having the mirrors painted black, the driver side mirror has some scraps and they need to be cleaned up (painted).....Do I want them to be black? Still thinking about that.
Lastly, I will be installing a clear bra.
I almost bought a highly optioned base 718 last December and I know I would have loved that car, but I'm really having fun toying with all the little upgrades I'm doing on this car. One of the best things about this car.....No car payment, it's all mine. A new car would have required financing, so that raises the happiness meter for me.
Last edited by Surfndav; 02-01-2019 at 10:06 AM.